to advertise / recruit
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to advertise for
To carry out activities to make a product, service, or idea known and encourage people to buy or support it. This is often done through ads, posters, or commercials.
Die Firma wirbt mit einem neuen Fernsehspot für ihr Waschmittel.
The company is advertising its laundry detergent with a new TV commercial.
'Werben' (to advertise/recruit) is an irregular verb. In the present tense, the vowel changes from 'e' to 'i' in the 2nd and 3rd person singular ('du wirbst', 'er/sie/es wirbt'). The simple past is 'warb' and the past participle is 'geworben'.
Er wirbt für seine neue App.
He is advertising his new app.
The preposition reveals the intention: you use 'werben für' (to advertise for/promote) a product or idea (accusative) in order to make it known. You use 'werben um' (to seek/compete for) a person, a group, or their favor (accusative) in order to win them over.
Ein bekannter Sportler wirbt für die neue Schokolade.
A well-known athlete is advertising the new chocolate.
The noun for this verb is 'die Werbung' (advertising). It refers to the activity of 'Werben' (advertising/recruiting), that is, advertising or promotion. A person who advertises or recruits is 'der Werber' or 'die Werberin' (advertiser/recruiter).
Im Fernsehen läuft ständig Werbung.
There is advertising on TV all the time.
When someone is making an effort to win something or someone over, 'werben' (to seek) is often combined with people or their approval: 'um Kunden werben' (to seek customers), 'um Wählerstimmen werben' (to seek votes), 'um Vertrauen werben' (to seek trust), or 'um die Gunst von jemandem werben' (to seek someone's favor).
Das Unternehmen muss aktiv um neue Kunden werben.
The company must actively seek new customers.
In the context of personnel or new members, 'werben' means something like 'rekrutieren' (to recruit). It often appears with the preposition 'um' ('um neue Talente werben' — to recruit new talent) or with a location ('an Hochschulen werben' — to recruit at universities).
Die Firma wirbt auf Jobmessen um qualifizierte Ingenieure.
The company is recruiting qualified engineers at job fairs.
to win / gain
'gewinnen' and 'werben' can both have to do with persuading people. 'werben' describes the attempt: you draw attention to something and want to gain interest or support. This can be for a product, an idea, an association, or new employees. 'jemanden für etwas gewinnen' (to win someone over for something) describes more the successful result: the person joins in or supports the cause. Learners may confuse the words because persuasion is important in both cases. Remember: you 'wirbt um' someone or 'wirbt für' something; if it works, you have 'jemanden gewonnen' (won someone over).
Die Firma wirbt in den sozialen Medien für ihr neues Produkt.
The company is advertising its new product on social media.
Nach mehreren Gesprächen konnte der Verein neue Helfer für das Projekt gewinnen.
After several conversations, the association was able to win new volunteers over for the project.